1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for holding or supporting an object, such as a house plant, with respect to a support post or a mounting bracket. More specifically, this invention relates to a plant stand having a drainage plate mateably engageable with a container or pot, whereby the container or pot is centered about a vertical axis of a support post or an end portion of the mounting bracket, connected to a receiving surface of the drainage plate.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional plant containers may include a pot having a general conical shape which is positioned upon a generally flat surface or drainage piece. Some conventional plant containers are adapted to be supported by a support means having a support rod and a base which rests on a generally flat surface, for example a floor. Alternatively, other conventional plant containers are adapted to be suspended from an overhead support structure, for example a ceiling.
One disadvantage associated with conventional plant containers is that many conventional plant containers do not have a drainage piece or surface which supports the pot to maintain the pot in a desired or predetermined location on the drainage piece. Additionally, such drainage pieces may not be rigidly fastened or connected to a support base. Further, these conventional plant containers do not provide a means by which the drainage piece is connected to the pot to maintain the pot in a general vertical position with respect to the drainage piece and/or the support means, for example to prevent the pot, and/or the entire support means, from tipping over.
Another disadvantage associated with conventional plant containers is that a combination of the drainage piece and the pot cannot be used separately from the support means because the drainage piece does not have a generally flat bottom surface. Instead, the bottom surface of a conventional drainage piece usually has a connecting surface or portion which is not planar with the bottom surface. Thus, when rested upon a generally flat, horizontal surface, the drainage piece tips causing the pot to tip and at least a portion of the contents of the pot to spill.
Thus, there is an apparent need for an apparatus for supporting an object, such as a plant, having a container or pot which is mateably engageable with a drainage plate to maintain the apparatus in a vertical position, preferably to prevent tipping.
It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for supporting an object, for example a stand for supporting a plant within a pot positioned with respect to a support post.
It is another object of this invention to provide a pot which is mateably engageable with a drainage plate to maintain the pot in a vertical position with respect to a support post rigidly connected to the drainage plate.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a drainage plate having a projection which is mateably engageable with a receptacle formed in a bottom surface of a pot to align the pot with a vertical axis of a support post and prevent axial movement of the pot with resect to the drainage plate and/or the support post.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an apparatus for supporting an object positioned with respect to a mounting bracket.
The above and other objects of this invention are accomplished with an apparatus, for example a plant stand, for supporting an object, such as a house plant, which includes a support post having a vertical axis. Preferably, but not necessarily, the support post is generally cylindrical along its length and has a generally circular cross-sectional area. The support post may have other suitable cross-sectional areas, such as a rectangular cross-sectional area or a triangular cross-sectional area. The support post is securely attached or connected at a bottom end portion to a base. Suitable means for connecting the support post to the base, such as a threaded connection, are well known to those having ordinary skill in the art. Preferably, the base has a plurality of feet, for example three or four feet, to support the apparatus.
An upper end portion of the support post is connected to a drainage plate. Preferably, but not necessarily, the drainage plate is securely connected to the support post using connecting means or a connector, such as a threaded connection. In one preferred embodiment of this invention, the drainage plate has a bottom surface which forms a receiving surface. The support post is mounted within a bore formed by the receiving surface and mateably engages the receiving surface so that the frictional fit forms a secure connection. Preferably, the receiving surface extends or projects into a void or a volume formed by the drainage plate. Thus, at least a portion of the bottom surface of the drainage plate is generally flat, allowing it to rest upon a generally flat, horizontal surface.
In one preferred embodiment of this invention, the drainage plate further forms a projection coaxially positioned with the receiving surface and in an assembled condition is generally aligned with the vertical axis of the support post. Preferably, the projection, as well as the receiving surface, is molded or integrated with the drainage plate. Preferably, but not necessarily, the projection has a generally conical shape. The projection may have any other suitable shape. A peripheral wall of the drainage plate forms or defines a volume within which water, for example may be contained.
A container or pot having a bottom surface which forms a receptacle is mateably engageable with the projection formed by the drainage plate. In one preferred embodiment of this invention, at least a portion of the receptacle extends into a volume formed by a peripheral wall of the container. Thus, at least a portion of the bottom surface of the container is generally flat and can easily rest upon an inner surface of the drainage plate. Preferably, in mating engagement, the receptacle is generally aligned with the projection and thus is generally aligned with the vertical axis of the support post. In one preferred embodiment of this invention, a center of mass of the container is fixedly positioned about the vertical axis. Thus, the apparatus stands upright without tipping and/or falling over when the container is filled with potting soil and a plant, for example.
In one preferred embodiment of this invention, the projection has a surface which corresponds directly with a surface of the receptacle to provide direct contact between a substantial portion of the projection and the receptacle when mateably engaged. Thus, the container is maintained in a generally central location on the upper surface of the drainage plate and is prevented from moving in a vertical direction and/or a lateral direction with respect to the drainage plate.
In one preferred embodiment of this invention, the container further includes at least one aperture formed by and through the bottom surface of the container to provide for drainage. Preferably, but not necessarily, a plurality of apertures are radially positioned about the receptacle. When watering a plant contained within the container, excess water can drain from the volume of the container through the at least one aperture to prevent over-watering of the plant.
In one preferred embodiment of this invention, the bottom surface of the container further includes at least one support wall. Preferably, a plurality of arcuate-shaped support walls extend from the bottom surface and are radially positioned about the receptacle. It is apparent that the support walls may have any suitable shape. The support walls provide stability to the container when the container is positioned upon the drainage plate and the projection is mateably engaged with the receptacle. Further, the support walls provide a means for directing the excess water, exiting the bottom surface of the container through the at least one aperture, to a periphery of the drainage plate.
In one preferred embodiment of this invention, an apparatus for supporting an object such as a house plant comprises a mounting bracket having a first end portion adapted for mounting the apparatus to a surface, for example a generally vertical surface such as a wall or a post. The first end portion forms at least one aperture for connecting or fastening the mounting bracket to the surface using suitable fastening means or connectors.
A second end portion of the mounting bracket is mateably engageable with the drainage plate. For example, the second end portion is mateably engageable with the receiving surface formed in or integrated with the bottom surface of the drainage plate, thus securing the drainage plate to the mounting bracket.
As discussed above in reference to preferred embodiments of this invention, the container or pot is mateably engageable with the drainage plate whereby the pot is fixedly positioned with respect to the second end portion of the mounting bracket.